Electric heating unit



A. D. KEENE ELECTRC HEATING UNI'QII Filed Jan. 22 1924 Nov. 16 1926. l 6 l 1,606,765

j *im ii 7- *A A /w'n D. Keene BY ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 16, i

` UNITED STATES ALVIN- 1). K'EENE, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB T0 'WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION F PENNSYLVANIA.

ELEc'rnrc HEATING umn A e My invention relatesv to electric heating devices and particularly to 'relatively highcapacityiiexible electric heating units.

One objectl of my invention is to provide an extended electric heating unit, of relatively high capacity that shall be capable of conforming to a curved Surface. Another object of my invention is to provide an electric heating unit that shall comprise a minimum number of component 'part-s. e

In practicing my invention, I provide a relatively heavy return-bent resistor member, the adjacent portions of whichare enl5 gaofed by spaced sets-of pairs of op sed refractory members, each pair of whic engage two adjacent resistor portions only. The pairs of refractory members in each set are staggered relatively to each other. Means'are provided to hold the heating unit against the surface to be heated. l

In thel single sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a view, in end elevation, of a lheating unit embodying my invention, as ,applied to a-cylindrical container orl Inutile, Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section herethrough, taken on the line II-II of v ig' la J Fig. 3 isl a top plan view of an electric heating unit embodyingmy invention,-

Fig. 4 is a view in lateral section therethrough, taken on the line IV-'IV of'Fig. 3,

Fi 5 is a. top plan view of a refractory mem r comprising a part of aheating unit embodying my invention, and

Fig. 6 ,is-a view in side elevation thereof. A' resistor member l11, of relatively heav wire or rod of a suitable resistor materia vsuch as nichrome, is preformed to comprise 0 a plurality ofstraigh-t, substantially parallel-extending, 'return-bent portions, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The returnV bent straight portions may be of any suitable .or desired length in order. 5 `to permit of covering a predetermined surface therewith.

vA plurality of sets lof staggered 'pairs of refractory lmembers 12, o f electric-insulating material, are provided'to* hold the inw termediate parts of the return-bent straight portions in proper operative positions relatively vto each other. Each member 12 is of substantially trapezoidal form in vlongitudinal section, substantia'liyl'7 as illustrated u in Fig. 6 of the drawing. e longer faceis I- and an opening therethrough.

Application led January 22, 1924. Serial Nro. 687,719.

provided with a'plurality 'of laterally extendmg grooves 13, each of `substantially semi-circular shape. An opening 14 extends laterally through the body of the member 12,

As illustrated more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawing, pairs of opposed'members 12 are secured together by means of bolts 16 having co-operating nuts 1 7 at one end thereof, which bolts extend through the alined openings 514 and( serve to hold the A'members 12 loosely on or around adjacent,

spaced, straight .portions of the resistor member 11. The pairs of members 12 are staggered relatively to each other, as is illustrated in Fig. of the drawing. J

It is not necessary to employ a plurality of staggered pairs of co-operating members 12 at the'end of the preformed resistor member 11, by reason of the fact that the returnbent portion isl suiiciently strong enough to prevent any great separation of the adjacent resistor portions. It is, therefore, stiflicient to employ a single set of co-operating pairs of members 12 to hold the adjacent- 15 extends longitudinally straight portions that are not connected at that end by the return bent portions of the resistor member, whereby the location of the pairs of members 12 is substantially as 'illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

If it is desired to heat a substantially cylindrical container 18, as for instance, a fluid container, lora mulile of a tubular furnace, 'y 'the heating element or unit comprlsmg the preformed resistor member and the spaced sets of pairs of refractory members may be made to conformto the curved surface by merely bending the resistor member around the curved surface. A pluralitvof wires or rods 19 are threaded through the alined openings 15 in the outer set of members '12 and suitable fastening means are suppliedfor the ends of the Wires 19, whereby the heatig unit is mounted in its proper opera- -tive'position relatively to a mass of solid material or of a container that is to b e heattreated. 't

The resistormember 11` lits loosely within the substantially circular openings' provided b the o sed co-operatin pairs of membyrs 12, Pviiliereby free longgitudinal feirpansion of the straight portions of the resistor member; is permitted relatively to the intermediate setswof members 12. f J

The refractory members l2 cause the resistor member to be suitably spaced awayfrom the solid mass 'of material or the container to be heated by the heating unit and these refractory members, therefore, Serve Y a double purpose, in that they not only space tain them in such spaced positions.

Various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, I desire, therefore that onlyA such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art or are set forth inthe appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In an electric heating unit, in combination, a relatively heavy resistor member pre,- formed to comprise a plurality of substantially parallel-extendingreturn-bent straight portions lying in a single plane` a plurality` means extending through co-operating pairs of refractory members onlylateral1y of the plane of the resistor for holding said re-` fractory members in proper operative positlons. ,Y

2. In an electric heating unit, in. combina?- '.tion, a resistor, member preformed to comprise a plurality of substantially parallelextending return-bent straight portions, and a plurality of spaced sets of refractory clamping and spacing members operatively engaging said resistor member, each set comprising two rows of staggered pairs of refractory members, and means extendlng through each pair. only to hold them against n said resistor.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day of January 1924.

- ALVIN D. KEENE. 

